The International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Global Aeronautical Distress Safety System (GADSS) recommendations compel airlines to commit to minimum standards of aircraft tracking, with the aim of improving safety, detection of aircraft in distress, and efficient and effective search and rescue.

ICAO urges operators to report aircraft positions at least once every 15 minutes as of Thursday 8 November 2018, and additional aircraft distress processes will be added from 2021.

SITAONAIR says its ground-based AIRCOM FlightTracker software system guarantees regular flight position updates, without requiring any new avionics or modifications to aircraft.

The FlightAware feed delivers live aircraft position data from its terrestrial network of ADS-B receivers, as well as from Aireon’s space-based ADS-B network, which, hosted on the Iridium NEXT constellation, is now providing live flight tracking.

In incorporating this space-based ADS-B data, SITAONAIR says FlightTracker gives airlines the tools to receive the precise position, speed and altitude of their airborne fleet anywhere in the world – even over oceans and polar regions.

They are also able to exceed the ICAO 15-minute recommendation, in readiness for 2021’s anticipated one-minute recommendation.

Dominique El Bez, Vice President of Strategy at SITAONAIR.

Dominique El Bez, Vice President, Product and Strategy, SITAONAIR said: “SITAONAIR is proud to have been at the fore in empowering global airlines to respond to the ICAO’s vital recommendations.

“Our AIRCOM FlightTracker provides the cost-effective, multi-fleet, multi-data solution, for airlines all over the world.

“With the inclusion of Aireon space-based ADS-B, SITAONAIR’s solution enables airlines to exceed GADSS standards and recommended practices and automatically alerts users if an aircraft ceases to broadcast its position.

“As the first and only space-based ADS-B network, Aireon’s coverage represents a significant advancement in flight tracking abilities for the entire aviation industry.

“We urge airlines to speak to us now, to discover how our cutting-edge AIRCOM FlightTracker can enable them to deliver greater flight precision, awareness and reinforced safety, today.”